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Consequences of basing ethical judgments on heuristics

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Commentary onJonathanBaron (1994) Nonconsequentialist decisions. BBS 17:1–42

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2010

R. O. Lindsay and
Barbara Gorayska
R. O. Lindsay
Affiliation:
Psychology Unit, Oxford Brooks University, Oxford OX3 OBP United Kingdom
Barbara Gorayska
Affiliation:
department of Computer ScienceCity Polytechnic of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, csgoray@cityu.edu
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Abstract

Baron assumes that ethical decision-making can be evaluated without specifying more general features of the cognitive system within which it occurs. It is suggested that ethical principles are heuristics employed during goal-oriented action planning. Heuristics are bound to generate suboptimal decisions in some cases. It is rational to replace a particular heuristic only when the cost of associated error exceeds the cost of constructing and installing a more successful alternative.

Information

Type
Continuing Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 19 , Issue 2 , June 1996, pp. 322 - 323
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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